« | Isaiah 34 | » |
1 Come near, nations, to hear; and, you people, listen; let the earth hear, and its fullness; the world, and its offspring.
2 For the anger of Jehovah is on all nations, and His fury on all their armies. He has completely destroyed them, He has delivered them to the slaughter.
3 Also their dead shall be thrown out, and their stink shall come up out of their dead bodies, and the mountains shall be melted with their blood.
4 And all the host of the heavens shall be dissolved, and the heavens shall be rolled like a scroll; and all their host shall droop, as a leaf falls off from the vine, and as the falling from the fig tree.
5 For My sword bathed in the heavens. Behold, it shall come down on Edom, and on the people of My curse for judgment.
6 The sword of Jehovah is filled with blood; it is made fat with fatness, with the blood of lambs and goats, with the fat of the kidneys of rams; for Jehovah has a sacrifice in Bozrah, and a great slaughter in the land of Edom.
7 And the wild oxen shall come down with them, and the bulls with the bulls; and their land shall be soaked with blood, and their dust made fat with fatness.
8 For it is the day of Jehovah's vengeance, the year to repay for the fighting against Zion.
9 And its streams shall be turned into pitch, and its dust to brimstone, and its land shall become burning pitch.
10 It shall not be put out night or day; its smoke shall go up forever. From generation to generation it shall lie waste; none passes through it forever and forever.
11 But the pelican and the bittern shall possess it; the owl also, and the raven, shall dwell in it. And He shall stretch out on it the line of shame, and the stones of emptiness.
12 They shall call its nobles to the kingdom, but none shall be there, and all her rulers shall be nothing.
13 And thorns shall come up in her palaces, nettles and thistles in its fortresses; and it shall be a home of jackals and a court for ostriches.
14 The wild beasts of the desert shall also meet with the howling beasts; and the shaggy goat shall cry to his fellow. The screech owl also shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest.
15 There the snake shall nest, and lay, and hatch, and gather under her shadow; there shall the vultures also be gathered, every one with her mate.
16 Seek out of the book of Jehovah, and read; not one of these shall fail, none shall lack its mate; for My mouth has commanded, and His Spirit has gathered them.
17 And He has cast the lot for them, and His hand has divided it to them by line; they shall possess it forever, from generation to generation they shall dwell in it.
The Modern King James Version (MKJV)
The Modern King James Version (MKJV) is a contemporary English translation of the Bible that aims to preserve the majesty and accuracy of the original King James Version (KJV) while updating its language for modern readers. Developed by Jay P. Green Sr. and first published in 1990, the MKJV seeks to maintain the literary beauty and doctrinal reliability of the KJV, making only necessary adjustments to archaic terms and phrases to enhance readability. This careful balance allows the MKJV to retain the classic feel of the KJV while making it more accessible to today’s audience.
One of the standout features of the MKJV is its commitment to formal equivalence, or word-for-word translation. The translators have meticulously preserved the structure and vocabulary of the KJV, only updating words and phrases that have become outdated or whose meanings have shifted over time. This approach ensures that the MKJV remains faithful to the original texts and maintains the theological and literary integrity of the KJV. By preserving the cadence and phrasing of the original, the MKJV offers a reading experience that is both familiar and refreshed for modern readers.
The MKJV also pays special attention to the textual basis of the translation. Like the KJV, it relies on the Textus Receptus for the New Testament and the Masoretic Text for the Old Testament. This adherence to traditional source texts underscores the MKJV’s commitment to continuity with the historic Christian tradition. The translation is designed to serve both devotional and scholarly purposes, providing a text that is suitable for study, teaching, and public reading in a variety of settings.
Despite its strengths, the Modern King James Version has faced some criticism. Some scholars and readers argue that the translation could benefit from a more extensive revision to fully embrace contemporary language, suggesting that the MKJV’s adherence to the structure and style of the KJV may still pose challenges for modern readers. Others appreciate the balance it strikes but note that it occupies a niche space, appealing primarily to those who have a strong attachment to the KJV. Nonetheless, the MKJV remains a respected and valued translation for those seeking a modern update of the KJV that honors its rich heritage and timeless message.